Supreme Court rejects Atiq's plea seeking protection during his UP police custody

Ahmad is suspected to be involved in a daylight shootout on February 5 at Prayagraj, he was shifted to Naini jail from Sabarmati recently.

A two-judge bench of the Top Court, headed by Justice Ajay Rastogi, asked the gangster-turned-politician to move to the High Court.

Ahmad, a former Member of Parliament (MP) and gangster, his petition was filed before the Supreme Court, it alleged that there was threat to his life on his transfer to UP in connection with the Umesh Pal murder case, and thereby this Court should pass appropriate action and directions and orders to the concerned authorities for his safety and security.

"The State machinery will take care of you, (Atiq)," the Supreme Court observed, in its order today and rejected the petition filed by Atiq Ahmad, seeking protection.

The Apex Court also refused to record in its order that Atiq Ahmad's life is under threat.

Atiq, in his plea filed before the Supreme Court, sought protection, during his custody of Uttar Pradesh police.

Gangster & 5 times Uttar Pradesh State MLA, Atiq Ahmad had knocked the doors of the Supreme Court, seeking a direction that the UP Police should question him in Ahmedabad, keeping in view his apprehensions that he will be killed in an "encounter", Ahmad said, in his petition filed before the Supreme Court.

Atiq Ahmad, further said that the Central and UP government be directed to protect the life and also to ensure that no physical or bodily injury or harm is done to him, in any manner whatsoever during police custody/ remand/ interrogation.

Atiq Ahmad, further claimed that the Chief Minister of UP, without any investigation merely on the basis of suspicion, has made a statement on the floor of the State Assembly that he (Ahmad) will be destroyed and eliminated completely.

"There is a genuine and perceptible threat to the life of the Petitioner and his family members. He along with his entire family has been roped in as accused persons in the murder of one Umesh Pal," Atiq Ahmad said, in his petition filed before the Supreme Court.

Atiq Ahmad, in his petition, claimed that he genuinely apprehends and believes that he may be killed in fake encounters on one pretext or the other by UP police.

"It is a deep political conspiracy against him and his family members," Atiq Ahmad said.

He was MLA for 5 consecutive times and one time elected MP. Some local leaders who are holding important chairs in UP government couldn't accept the induction of his wife in Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and her name in Mayoral elections as BSP candidate because they know their fate in local bodies election as well in the forthcoming Parliament elections in 2024, Atiq Ahmad said.

"So they have conspired the murder plan of the deceased, Umesh Pal who is a complainant in a case against him (Ahmad) in which his evidence got recorded 6 year ago.

"It may be noted that there is no motive for him to kill Umesh Pal, because the trial is going to end next month and there was nothing left to be done by Umesh Pal in the trial," Atiq Ahmad said, in his petition filed before the Supreme Court.